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Popular social media influencer and musician, Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia4Reall, has publicly addressed her recent guilty plea in a US court for involvement in romance scams. In a statement shared on her Instagram page on February 21, 2024, Hajia4Reall revealed that she voluntarily traveled from Heathrow to JFK in May 2023 to face the criminal charges in the Southern District of New York.
The statement, issued by her legal team, emphasized that the guilty plea does not define her as a person and does not reflect the individual she is today. Hajia4Reall expressed gratitude for the support she has received from her fans, family, and legal representatives throughout the legal process.
“In May 2023, Ms. Montrage voluntarily boarded the flight from Heathrow to JFK to face the criminal case in the Southern District of New York. At that time, she took the first step to closing that chapter of her life. Today, she took responsibility for her bank accounts being used to receive funds from illicit conduct that ended in 2019. Ms. Montrage’s plea does not define her as a person and is not reflective of the individual she is today. Ms. Montrage is thankful for the support of her fans, family, and legal team throughout this process,” the statement said.
The socialite pleaded guilty to receiving fraud proceeds from a romance scam, according to the United States Department of Justice (DoJ). A statement from the DoJ, dated February 21, 2024, announced the guilty plea, revealing that Mona Faiz Montrage was involved in laundering the proceeds of a series of romance scams.
Montrage faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison under US laws for conspiring to receive stolen money. She has also agreed to pay forfeiture of $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount. Her sentencing will be determined by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty at a yet-to-be-determined date, raising questions about whether she will receive the maximum five-year sentence.
Attorney Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, commented on the guilty plea, stating, “Mona Faiz Montrage knowingly received money stolen from older Americans through romance scams and was arrested abroad and now faces serious consequences for her actions." He emphasized the relentless pursuit of justice for fraudsters targeting Americans, regardless of their location.
Explore the life of Hajia4Reall below.
